2. D6 Online Manual
  3. Other Shooting Options
  4. Creating a Movie from Photos (Time-Lapse Movie)

Creating a Movie from Photos (Time-Lapse Movie)

Use the [Time-lapse movie] item in the photo shooting menu to create silent time-lapse movies from photos taken automatically at a selected interval.

Time-Lapse Movie Options

Option

Description

[Start]

Start time-lapse recording. Shooting starts after about 3 s and continues at the interval selected for [Interval] for the time selected for [Shooting time].

[Interval]

Choose the interval between shots, in minutes and seconds.

[Shooting time]

Choose how long the camera will continue to take pictures, in hours and minutes.

[Exposure smoothing]

Selecting [On] smooths abrupt changes in exposure.

  • Large changes in subject brightness during shooting may result in apparent variations in exposure. This can be addressed by shortening the interval between shots.

  • Exposure smoothing will not take effect in mode M if [Off] is selected for [ISO sensitivity settings] > [Auto ISO sensitivity control] in the photo shooting menu.

[Silent photography]

Select [On] to silence the shutter and eliminate the vibrations it produces during shooting.

[Image area]

  • [Choose image area]: Choose the image area for time-lapse movies from [FX] and [DX].

  • [Auto DX crop]: If [On] is selected, the camera will automatically choose the [DX] crop when a DX lens is attached.

[Frame size/frame rate]

Choose the frame size and rate for the final movie.

[Interval priority]

  • [On]: Enable interval priority to ensure that frames shot in modes P and A are taken at the chosen interval.

    • If AF-S is selected for autofocus mode, select [Release] for Custom Setting a2 [AF-S priority selection]. If AF-C is selected, select [Release] for Custom Setting a1 [AF-C priority selection].

    • If [On] is selected for [ISO sensitivity settings] > [Auto ISO sensitivity control] and the time chosen for [Minimum shutter speed] is longer than the interval, the time selected for the interval will take priority over the selected shutter speed.

  • [Off]: Disable interval priority to ensure that photos are correctly exposed.

[Focus before each shot]

If [On] is selected, the camera will focus between shots.

[Destination]

Choose the slot used to record time-lapse movies when two memory cards are inserted.

Recording Time-Lapse Movies

Before Shooting

  • Time-lapse movies are shot using the movie crop. Check the composition before shooting.

  • Take test shots and check the results in the monitor.

  • Before proceeding, select [Time zone and date] in the setup menu and make sure that the camera clock is set to the correct time and date.

  • We recommend using a tripod and disabling lens vibration reduction (VR).

  • To ensure that shooting is not interrupted, use a fully-charged battery or an AC adapter and power connector (available separately).

  • To prevent light entering via the viewfinder interfering with photographs or exposure when your eye is from the viewfinder and [Off] is selected for [Silent photography], raise the viewfinder eyepiece shutter lever to close the viewfinder eyepiece shutter.

  1. Highlight [Time-lapse movie] in the photo shooting menu and press 2.

  2. Adjust time-lapse movie settings.

    • Choose the interval between shots.

      Highlight [Interval] and press 2.

      Choose an interval (in minutes and seconds) and press J.

      • Choose an interval longer than the slowest anticipated shutter speed.

    • Choose the total shooting time.

      Highlight [Shooting time] and press 2.

      Choose a shooting time (in hours and minutes) and press J.

      • The maximum shooting time is 7 hours and 59 minutes.

    • Enable or disable exposure smoothing.

      Highlight [Exposure smoothing] and press 2.

      Highlight an option and press J.

      • Selecting [On] smooths abrupt changes in exposure.

    • Enable or disable silent photography.

      Highlight [Silent photography] and press 2.

      Highlight an option and press J.

      • If [On] is selected, the only time the sound of the shutter or mirror will be heard is when the mirror is raised or lowered at the start and end of shooting.

    • Choose the image area.

      Highlight [Image area] and press 2.

      Highlight [Choose image area] or [Auto DX crop] and press 2.

      • Highlight the desired option ([FX] or [DX] in the case of [Choose image area], [On] or [Off] in the case of [Auto DX crop]) and press J.

    • Choose the frame size and rate.

      Highlight [Frame size/frame rate] and press 2.

      Highlight an option and press J.

    • Choose an interval priority option.

      Highlight [Interval priority] and press 2.

      Highlight an option and press J.

    • Choose whether the camera focuses between shots.

      Highlight [Focus before each shot] and press 2.

      Highlight an option and press J.

      • If [On] is selected for [Focus before each shot], the camera will focus before each shot according to the option currently selected for autofocus mode.

    • Choose a destination.

      Highlight [Destination] and press 2.

      Highlight the slot that will be used to record time-lapse movies when two memory cards are inserted and press J.

  3. Highlight [Start] and press J.

    • Shooting starts after about 3 s.

    • The camera takes pictures at interval selected for [Interval] for the time selected for [Shooting time] in Step 2.

Ending Shooting

To end shooting before all the photos are taken, press J or select [Time-lapse movie] in the photo shooting menu, highlight [Off], and press J. Note that the menus may not be displayed when the G button is pressed if the time selected for [Interval] is very short.

  • A movie will be created from the frames shot to the point where shooting ended and normal photography will resume.

Calculating the Length of the Final Movie

  • The total number of frames in the final movie can be calculated by dividing the shooting time selected in Step 2 by the interval, rounding up, and adding 1.

  • The length of the final movie can then be calculated by dividing the number of shots by the frame rate selected for [Frame size/frame rate] (for example, a 48-frame movie recorded with [1920×1080; 24p] selected for [Frame size/frame rate] will be about two seconds long).

  • The maximum length for time-lapse movies is 20 minutes.

    1

    Frame size/frame rate
    2

    Memory card indicator
    3

    Length recorded/maximum length
Image Review

The K button cannot be used to view pictures while shooting is in progress. The current frame will however be displayed for a few seconds after each shot if [On] is selected for [Image review] in the playback menu. Note that other playback operations cannot be performed while the frame is displayed. The current frame may not be displayed if the interval is very short.

Time-Lapse Movies

  • Sound is not recorded with time-lapse movies.

  • The shutter speed and the time needed to record the image to the memory card may vary from shot to shot. As a result, the interval between a shot being recorded and the start of the next shot may vary.

  • Shooting will not begin if a time-lapse movie cannot be recorded at current settings, for example if:

    • The value selected for [Interval] is longer than that selected for [Shooting time]

    • [00:00'00"] is selected for [Interval] or [Shooting time]

    • [On] is selected for both [Silent photography] and [Interval priority] and [00:00'0.5"] is selected for [Interval]

    • The memory card is full

  • The K button cannot be used to view pictures while time-lapse recording is in progress.

  • For consistent coloration, choose a white balance setting other than [Auto] or [Natural light auto] when recording time-lapse movies.

  • Regardless of the option selected for Custom Setting c2 [Standby timer], the standby timer will not expire while recording is in progress.

  • Shooting may end if camera controls are used, settings are changed, or an HDMI cable is connected. A movie will be created from the frames shot to the point where shooting ended.

  • The following end shooting without a beep sounding or a movie being recorded:

    • Disconnecting the power source

    • Ejecting the memory card

During Shooting

  • During shooting, Q and the time-lapse recording indicator will be displayed in the top control panel. The time remaining (in hours and minutes) appears in the shutter-speed display immediately before each frame is recorded.

  • At other times, the time remaining can be viewed by pressing the shutter-release button halfway.

Adjusting Settings Between Shots

Shooting and menu settings can be adjusted between shots. Note, however, that the monitor will turn off approximately 2 s before the next shot is taken.

Time-Lapse Movies: Restrictions

Time-lapse movie recording cannot be combined with some camera features, including:

  • Live view photography

  • Movie recording

  • Long time-exposures (“Bulb” or “Time”)

  • The self-timer

  • Bracketing

  • Multiple exposure

  • HDR (high dynamic range)

  • Interval-timer photography

  • Focus shift

When [On] Is Selected for [Silent Photography]

Selecting [On] for [Silent photography] disables some camera features, including:

  • ISO sensitivities of Hi 0.3 through Hi 5

  • Flash photography

  • Exposure delay mode

  • Long exposure noise reduction

  • Flicker reduction